Slatted crate.



PATENTED JAN. 30, 1906.

E.. N. BAGKUS,

SLATTED GRATR 'APPLwATIoN FILED APR. 7. 1902.

IWVEWTR. gf @MM jfl- LVMCFLVLV/L W econo o na n fr on STF@ UNITE HENRY N. BACKUS, OF DETROIT, IVIICHIGAN.

SLTTED CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30,1906.

l Application filed April '7, 1902. Serial No. 101,614.

To al?, whom, it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, HENRY N. Backus, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slatted Crates; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to slatted crates, packages, and boxes for shipping and commercial purposes; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully set forth.

The object of the invention is to provide a box or package of the character described with a reinforcement along the sides near the bottom` whereby the slats are stiffened orstrengthcned to resist lateral strain and prevent the package from being broken along the sides either from internal pressure when filled or from contact with objects when being moved about.

The above object is attained by the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 shows a perspective View of a box or package involving my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the box or package. section through the side of the package, showing more clearly the reinforcement and structural arrangement.

Referring to the characters of reference, l designates the sides, and 2 the ends, of a box or package of the slatted or woven character wherein the slats of which the package is formed are bound together by cross-wires and binding-wires attached thereto or by weaving said wires or strips of metal between the slats in a manner well understood in the art. As herein illustrated, the outer wires 3 pass across the outer face of the slats, and the slats are held thereto by the binding-wires 4, (see Fig. 3,) which embrace the slats and are wound around the outer wires, as shown at 5, whereby a woven fabric is produced of which the sides and ends of the package are formed.

The sides and ends of the packages are secured at their point of junction by the inner Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary.

corner-posts 6 and are protected by the outer metal corner-strips 7. The bottom 8 is guarded by a rib or runner 9 on each side, extending longitudinally thereof. The upper slats l0 of the sides and ends are of greater thickness than those in the body of the package to add strength to the structure at the top and render it suiiiciently rigid.

It will be observed that the slats 11 are comparatively light to reduce the weight of the package; but it has been found necessary to render the package sufIiciently strong at the bottom to reinforce the slats by adding a second slat 152 thereto, so as to render the slats double that extend along the sides such distance from the bottom as is found desirable. I have herein shown four of said slats as reinforced; but the number maybe increased or decreased, as found expedient. These double slats are bound together by the bindingwires 4 in ythe same manner as the single slats are bound together, thereby doubling the strength of the slats along the lower wall of the package and preventing them from becoming broken. In order to avoid an exterior projection on the side of the package, it has been found preferable to place the reinforcingstrips upon the inside, as shown, in which case the corner-posts are notched out, as at 13, to allow said reinforcing-slats to extend onto the posts at their ends and to which they may be secured, thereby carrying the strength of the reinforcement entirely across the sides of the package. If desired, however, the reinforcing-slats may be cut olf to lie between the posts and avoid notching the posts for their reception. As the strain of wear upon a package of this character comes upon the slats at the lower edge of the package, this reinforcing of said slats at the lower edge renders them very strong and durable and at the same time allows'a lighter slat to be used in the upper portion of the wall of the package, thereby greatly reducing the package in weight without detracting from its durability.

Instead of placing the reinforcing-strips upon the inside it is obvious that they may be placed upon the outside, ifu desired.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is"

1. In a slatted box or package, the combination of a horiZoutally-slatted fabric com.

prising the walls of the package, the upper slats of the wall being relatively thin and light and the lower slats of the wall being reinforced for their entire length by an additional slat, or slats, forming a double-slatted wall at or adjacent the bottom.

2. In a box, or package, the combination of a slatted fabric forming the walls of the package the slats of the fabric being bound together by metal strands, the slats at the lower edge of the wall being doubled for their entire length to add lateral strength thereto, the metal strands embracing the double slats to bind them firmly together.

3. In a box, or package, the combination of the slatted fabric forming the Walls of the package, posts at the corners of said package supporting said slats, a reinforcing-Slat added to the inner face of the lower horizontal slat of the wall and extending longitudinally thereof, said posts having recesses in their face to receive said reinforcing-Slat.

4. In a box, or package, the combination of a fabric forming the walls of the package, said fabric comprising horizontal slats bound together by metal strands posts uniting the walls at the corners, the slats forming the upper portion of the wall being thin and the slats at the lower portion of the wall being reinforced by additional horizontal slats extending between the posts parallel with and secured to the main slat.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY N. BACKUS.

Vitnesses:

E. S. WHEELER, C. E.v DAVIS. 

